“It’s no surprise when a politician like Bill Cassidy that takes his cues from David Vitter would have ethical lapses,” said Louisiana Democratic Party Executive Director Stephen Handwerk. “It’s just surprising that he’s been an official Senate candidate for 24 hours, and he’s already violating the Senate’s rules. Ultimately, Cassidy is just a partisan puppet who will do and say whatever his Republican leaders tell him to do, no matter what the rules are.”

As recently as this week, operatives from the National Republican Senatorial Committee and Republican National Committee, apparently clueless about Cassidy’s ethical transgression, were sharing the video on social media.